Somalia repels armed assault on Baidoa amid regional political tensions

What the report says

Somalia’s military said it repelled an armed attack on Baidoa, the largest city in South West State, after explosions and gunfire were reported early Thursday. In a statement posted on X, the Defence Ministry said fighters loyal to ousted South West State Governor Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen were behind the assault, and accused the groups of working alongside al-Shabab. Al Jazeera reported that the fighting lasted several hours and caused residents to stay indoors.

According to the ministry, the attackers tried to spread fear among civilians, but government forces responded and defeated them. The statement did not provide a final casualty count, saying an assessment was still under way. A spokesperson for the pro-Laftagareen side told AFP that their forces had taken parts of the city and that combat was continuing, while some residents later said Baidoo was calm after about six hours of clashes.

The incident fits into a wider struggle over power in Somalia, where regional administrations and federal authorities have often been at odds. Al Jazeera noted that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government has faced resistance from several states, as well as a long-running insurgency by al-Shabab, which controls parts of central Somalia. The Baidoa confrontation also follows earlier tensions this year between federal forces and Laftagareen’s supporters over control of the state capital.